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Just Dance (song)
"Just Dance" is the debut single by American recording artist Lady Gaga. The song was produced by RedOne, Rob Fusari and Dr. Dre and Akon (who also provides additional vocals), while also featuring labelmate Colby O'Donis. It was released in 2008 as the lead single from Gaga's debut studio album The Fame. The song was written by Gaga in ten minutes as "a happy record". "Just Dance" also has influences of R&B and lyrically speaks about being intoxicated at a club. The song has recived enormous critical acclaim, with reviewers complimenting its club anthem-like nature and the synthpop associated with it, the song also represented a commercial breakthrough for Gaga, propelling her to tremendous international success. "Just Dance" was a major and sleeper commercial success on a global scale. In the United States, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks, becoming the longest running number one single of 2008 and of the 2000s decade, until it was later passed by her smash-hit "Poker Face". It became Gaga's eleventh song to top the Hot 100, giving her status as a first female artist to archive No.1 on Hot 100 with a debut single. The song topped the charts in record-breaking thirty-five countries including Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, United Kingdom, South and North America, becoming one of the most successful songs of 2000s decade. The single is among the best-selling singles of all time, having sold over 12 million copies. The music video of the song portrayed Gaga appearing in a party where she plays the song, prompting party-goers to start dancing in enjoyment. Gaga compared her experience of shooting the video with being on a Martin Scorsese set. "Just Dance" was performed by Gaga in a number of live appearances including her The Fame Monster Ball World Tour. In 2009, the song received two Grammy awards for "Best Dance Recording" and "Record Of The Year", making her the first artist ever to receive a Grammy for debut single. Writing and inspiration "Just Dance" is written by Gaga and produced by RedOne, Dr. Dre, Rob Fusari and Akon. She said, "I was very hung-over. I wrote the song in about 10 minutes. And it was my first time being in a Hollywood studio. Very pristine, big huge room with giant speakers." Gaga wrote "Just Dance" during August 2007 and according to her it was "hard work and a lot of people didn't believe in it at first". Later, Gaga reflected on the song by saying: "That record saved my life. I was in such a dark space in my penthouse in New York. I was so depressed, always in a bar and drugged. I got on a plane to LA to do my music and was given one shot to write the song that would change my life and I did." In an interview with Contactmusic.com Gaga explained that "Just Dance" is a happy record and is supposed to be appreciated by people going through rough times like losing jobs and homes etc. Gaga further explained with Artistdirect that she wanted to write a beautiful record with "Just Dance". Being asked the reason for which "Just Dance" has become so insanely popular, Gaga said that she thought, "Everyone is looking for a song that really speaks to the joy in our souls and in our hearts and having a good time. It's just one of those records. It feels really good, and when you listen to it, it makes you feel good inside. It's as simple as that. I don't think it's rocket science when it comes to the heart. I think it's a heart theme song." In March 2010 the song was released as downloadable content for the music-based videogame series with the same name Just Dance, alongside with her other smash-hits including "Poker Face", "Paparazzi", "Bad Romance", "LoveGame", "Alejandro & Dance In The Dark. Composition "Just Dance" is an insanely uptempo and catchy electropop and hi-nrg song. The song combines synths of clipped marching beats, soaring electronics and contains mild R&B infused beats. According to the sheet music published in Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, the song is set in simple time with a moderate beat rate of 124 beats per minute. It is written in the key of C♯ minor. Gaga's vocal spans from the low note of G3 to the high note of C5. The song begins with a fast tempo following by the synth arrangement and Gaga uttering "Red Wine, Sex, Death". "Just Dance" has a progression of C♯m–E–B–F♯m. Colby O'Donis sings the interlude in the same range as Gaga followed by an R&B influenced interlude by her, after which the chorus is repeated with O'Donis providing backup vocals and the marching beats. The song ends with an echoing of the word "dance" and it's repeating five times. Lyrically, "Just Dance" throws a partial tongue-in-cheek perspective with lyrics like "What's going on on the floor? / I love this record, baby but I can't see straight anymore". The lyrics deal with being completely intoxicated at a party. Critical reception The song has received vast critical acclaim. Matthew Chisling of Allmusic described the song as "a powerhouse of dance waves and infectiously produced futuristic beats". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian called it a "beguilingly compulsive tale of pulling a drug-induced whitey, with a combination of clipped marching beats, sawing electronics and mild R&B flavor". Ben Norman of About.com said that the song "opens the album like a valkyrie leading the charge ... riding triumphant ahead of her army. If you don't know this song, use your browser. I won't waste time explaining what it sounds like." However he also noted that the song is really groundbreaking and that Gaga created new genre and brining back dance music mixing it with electronic and house music. Colby O' Donis' smooth vocals were also very complimented. Evan Sawdey of PopMatters.com said that "Just Dance" is an intensely catchy single and is an excellent indicator of what the album was all about. Ben Hogwood of MusicOMH praised the song saying, "You won't get many more catchy party odes than the chart topping Just Dance this year, a polished gem set to lodge in your head for the next few weeks." Freedom lu Lac of The Washington Post described the song to be "filled with mindlessly frothy synth-pop that matches low-grade dance grooves with Gaga's icy, almost disembodied vocals about dancing bliss". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine wrote that the song resembles the "desperate train wreck you're likely to encounter getting wasted at any dive on the L.E.S. at four in the morning" as is emphasized by the lyrics. Talia Kranes from BBC called the song irresistible and said that "the catchiness of her songs is sure to cement her place in the list of pop idols". Music video Released in late April 2008, the video was directed by music video director Melina Matsoukas and Gaga, and is based on the thematic content of the song of being in a party. The video begins with Gaga arriving with her background dancers at a house party, which seems to have ended. One of the dancers puts a Discolite Boombox on, blaring the music through the house. The crowd at the party appear to be sleeping in different areas, and are awoken by the music. They all start to dance, and scenes of the party are inter cut with scenes of a scantily dressed Lady Gaga dancing in a poncho, with a disco ball or in a small rubber pool playing with an inflated killer whale. She wears a blue, lightning-bolt shaped sticker beneath her right eye like that on the single cover. O'Donis appears in the video being flanked by several girls during the "When I come through on the dance floor" interlude. Cameo appearances are made by Akon and Space Cowboy. MTV called the video as an ode to the "Me Decade". During an interview with Australian radio in September 2008, Gaga said that "The whole video is performance art about being drunk at a party." In an interview with About.com, when asked about the shooting experience of the music video, Gaga explained: "Oh it was so fun, it was amazing. For me it was like being on a Martin Scorsese set. I've been so low budget for so long, and to have this incredibly amazing video was really very humbling. It was really fun, but you'll see if you ever come to a video shoot of mine one day – I'm very private about those things, I don't really talk to everybody. I'm not like the party girl running around. I might even seem to be a bit of a diva. I'm sort of with myself, in my work head space worrying about costumes, and if extras look right, and placement. I don't just show up for things, you know. That video was a vision of mine. It was Melina the director who wanted to do something, to have a performance art aspect that was so pop but it was still commercial, but that felt like lifestyle. It was all those things, I love it." Live performances In May, she performed the song for the first time at the swimsuit competition of the Miss Universe 2008, later Lady Gaga performed the song on many television shows in the United States. She appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, So You Think You Can Dance and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. In Australia, she performed on Sunrise, where her performance was condemned for lip-synching. Gaga denied it and released a statement saying "I was sick the day of the show but I absolutely, 100 per cent, was singing live. ... have never lip-synched and never will. Even on my worst day, I never will. I'm not a B-classed singer" In the United Kingdom, she performed the song on GMTV. She also performed the single during her AOL sessions. "Just Dance" was added to the setlist of her first headlining The Fame Monster Ball Tour, where it was performed before the Encore. As the performance for the acoustic version of "Poker Face" ended, Gaga exited from the stage and a video interlude called "The Face" starts telling about Gaga's alternate persona Candy Warhol and teaching her to speak. Track listing *'U.S./Japanese CD single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:12 #"Just Dance" (Richard Vission Remix) – 6:13 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:20 *'U.S. promo club CD' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Instrumental) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Acapella) – 4:00 *'U.S. promo remix CD' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Instrumental Version) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Acapella) – 4:00 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:14 #"Just Dance" (Richard Vission Remix) – 6:14 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:21 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romer's Bambossa Radio Edit) – 3:26 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Edit) – 3:35 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romer's Bambossa Dub) – 5:56 *'Australian/German CD single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:21 *'German CD maxi single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romer's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:14 #"Just Dance" (Instrumental Version) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Video) – 4:10 *'French CD maxi single' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Glam As You Radio Mix By Guéna LG) – 3:39 #"Just Dance" (Glam As You Club Mix By Guéna LG)) – 6:25 *'US iTunes Remixes EP' #"Just Dance" – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:12 #"Just Dance" (Richard Vission Remix) – 6:13 #"Just Dance" (Trevor Simpson Remix) – 7:20 *'US iTunes Remixes Pt. 2 EP' #"Just Dance" (RedOne Remix) – 4:28 #"Just Dance" (Space Cowboy Remix) – 5:01 #"Just Dance" (Robots To Mars Remix) – 4:37 #"Just Dance" (Tony Arzadon Remix) – 6:24 *'UK CD single' #"Just Dance" (Main Version) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (RedOne Remix) – 4:28 *'UK 7" numbered picture vinyl disc' #"Just Dance" (Main Version) – 4:05 #"Just Dance" (Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero's Bambossa Main Mix) – 7:12 Credits and personnel *Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriting, background vocals *RedOne – production, background vocals, instrumentation, programming, recording at Record Plant Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California *Akon – background vocals, production *Rob Fusari – production, instrumentation, programming *Dr. Dre – background vocals, production, instrumentation *Colby O'Donis – vocals, background vocals *Dave Russel – audio engineering *Robert Orton – audio mixing *Gene Grimaldi – audio mastering at Oasis Mastering, Burbank, California Charts and certifications 'Certifications' 'Year-end charts' End of decade charts Category:Singles Category:Songs Category:Released songs Category:The Fame Category:Number-one singles Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Number-one singles in Australia Category:Number-one singles in UK Category:Number-one singles in US Category:Best-selling singles Category:Global smash-hits Category:International number-one singles Category:Number-one singles in Latin America Category:2008 singles